Two of the biggest threats to a secure retirement portfolio, according to financial planner John Spoto, are inflation risk and market risk.

• Inflation risk is the effect of the long-term rate of inflation on your retirement portfolio. Spoto says that even at the long-term historical (1926-2008) average of about 3% per year, our purchasing power will be cut in half in 25 years.

• Market risk in a retirement portfolio is the combination of poor investment returns and withdrawals from retirement accounts. While both inflation and market risk are unpredictable and uncontrollable.